The Heart of the Exile
by ElvenWhovian
Summary: Written by ElvenWhovian with contributions by Starry-nightengale. A sequel to "The Trial of the Bow", this story is a medieval/fantasy retelling of the Portal fan fiction "Blue Sky" by Waffles.
1. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

First of all I would like to thank Waffles for the amazing fanfic that is _Blue Sky_. It goes without saying that this story would not be possible without her amazing work. Essentially this is the same story in a different context so really most of the credit goes to her.

Secondly I would like to thank all the amazing people on tumblr who have been so supportive of this retelling. Specifically Firiami for her amazing support and promotion of this fic on her blog.

Thirdly, I would like to mention a few things about the nature of this story. If you have not read _The Trial of the Bow_ , none of this will make sense...so go to my fanfiction profile, find _The Trial of the Bow_ , and give it a read so you will be up to speed. Also, if you have not read _Blue Sky_ , please please PLEASE go read it. _The Heart of the Exile_ is in no way intended to replace a reading of _Blue Sky_. This is a "retelling". In other words, the story can stand on it's own (as _Blue Sky_ also can), but I in no way want you to read this story and not have read (or plan to read) _Blue Sky_. It is however perhaps meant to encourage you to read _Blue Sky_ if you have not already. It really is an amazing story that anyone can enjoy. So...you can read this, but if you have not, GO READ _BLUE SKY_.

Also, I don't own _Blue Sky_ , this is a retelling of that story. All Valve characters belong to Valve, all _Blue Sky_ characters belong to Waffles. The Ellet people however are my creation.

And last, but certainly not least, a huge HUGE thank you to Starry-nightengale for her amazing ideas. This girl is the truest of fans and her extensive knowledge of Portal lore and _Blue Sky_ was essential. This story would not have been possible without her!

Starry and I have taken a few liberties in the story to make it fit within the world that was established in _The Trial of the Bow_. Especially towards the end a few things were changed, but in whole this follows pretty close to Waffle's amazing fic.

Anyway, thanks again everyone! Enjoy :)

\- ElvenWhovian


	2. Prologue

_In times gone by you may have heard_

 _of shining Aperture, of the oracle's words._

 _Of the trial of the Bow and the lady Chell_

 _the Monochrome queen, and the fool who fell._

* * *

 _Yet some insist it shan't end there_

 _a song lingers in the high blue air_

 _Still more is there to tell of him_

 _whose mind was turned, his destiny grim._

* * *

 _The journey, the truth, the far reaching sight._

 _No power of corruption can withstand the light._

 _So come dear reader and sit awhile_

 _Thus goes the tale,_ _**The Heart of the Exile.**_

* * *

 **Prologue**

Many years ago, in a far distant realm, long before the days of the shining kingdom of Aperture, there lived a race of elf-like people. They called themselves the Ellet, keepers of knowledge and foresight. They were a slender people, with white hair and fair skin. Yet for all their grace, they were a powerful people learned in forgotten arts of magic and alchemy beyond the knowledge of mortal men.

For thousands of years the Ellet lived in peace and prosperity, as many kingdoms do when freedom, justice, and love are the chief goals of all. But alas, as many kingdoms also do, the pursuit of power for self-gain brought about the misfortune of many.

None know the name of the dark Ellet who sought after immortality. His name was blotted out of Ellet history, lest the evil memories corrupt even further. Yet all know of his deeds, for it was he who forged the Crown. That very Crown of destructive immortality would shape the fates of all who encountered it. The power of the Crown was built upon selfish deeds. Refined in hatred and fear, it thrived on the ambition of the wearer, poisoning the mind and giving power that none could fathom.

Thus did the King of the Ellet people selfishly slay that nameless forger and place the Crown upon his own head. In vanity did he destroy all that others cherished in the pursuit of his own desires. There was no love in him, and the Crown fed upon his selfishness until his mind was a slave to its influence.

The Kingdom decayed, and the Ellet people fled their homes, never to return to the blackened ruins of that evil dominion. They bound their cursed King in chains made from metal of a nature similar to the Crown. And there they abandoned him, lest his evil spread to all lands, never to be quenched. As the Ellet people left, their King cursed his own kind for forsaking him and the realm he had built, vowing that while the Crown still existed they would never be freed from it's influence. Ellet legends say that in his solitude he grew so obsessed with the Crown's power that he himself became one with the terrible circle of metal and was swallowed up by his own selfishness. Still others say that whoever wears that terrible diadem becomes possessed by his corrupted will. And so the Crown was left in that forgotten land, never to be sought by the Ellet again.

So great was the horror the Ellet people had witnessed that they hid themselves. They feared that their knowledge of the Crown would lead others into darkness. Deep underground, they built vast cities and they had so little dealings with mortal men that history all but forgot them. For many years, they lived in peace and their skills in foresight and communication of the mind grew even stronger.

Then one night a great stone fell from the heavens, and the King of Aperture sought to tunnel beneath his Castle. It was then that King Cave, Son of John the Great, uncovered the forgotten Ellet people living beneath Aperture and he was filled with awe for their skills and ingenuity. Yet Cave's heart was so driven by the trial of the Bow that he enslaved the Ellet people and made them serve in the mines beneath his kingdom. King Cave kept the enslavement of the Ellet secret, for he feared that if his subjects knew he had enslaved an entire race, they would not take part in the great trial for which he so dearly needed them. It was also from the Ellet people that the learned men of the kingdom obtained knowledge of the Crown. This they learned through threats and torture, and thus did the Ellet people suffer still for the sins of their ancestors.

In the early days of the Trial, King Cave gathered a few select Ellet who showed exceptional foresight and power of the mind. Each of these he sent to an outpost on the outer edges of the kingdom. The Ellet people could communicate across vast distances in thought, and with one Ellet at each outpost, the King could know all that went on in his kingdom. In fear of an uprising from his slaves and of the people discovering them, King Cave assigned a knight to each outpost. Only a knight of the King could command the Ellet of each tower, and the Ellet was instructed to take orders from no other, lest they be punished severely.

Yet the Ellet people, though soft of speech and slow to violence, became restless. After years of bondage, one by one, they began to escape their captors, either retreating deeper underground, or wandering the hidden back passages of the Castle. On that fateful day when Queen Caroline was corrupted by the Crown, one very gifted Ellet, a young girl with eyes of red, came upon Sir Douglas in his flight from the Queen's wrath. Indeed, the Oracle was one of the last of the Ellet to escape from captivity within the Castle.

In another part of that land stood the great kingdom of Black Mesa. They had long been enemies with Aperture and, though the two kingdoms were then at peace, the animosity betwixt them had never died. Shortly after the death of King Cave and the ascension of Queen Glados, Black Mesa was suddenly thrown into war. This war was not with Aperture, but with invaders from an unknown realm whom they had wrongfully disturbed. They sought to contain the invasion, yet soon the conflict spread across the land. The war was terrible and blood was shed in every corner of that realm. When it was at last over, the people were free, but the land was scarred and desolate.

In the midst of the war, the Knights of Aperture who had been charged with the outposts heard no news from the Castle. With none to check their faithfulness, they left their posts, some setting the Ellet of their tower free, and some abandoning their captives altogether. As the war ended and the people began to rebuild their towns and villages, the once prosperous watchtowers of Aperture became the centers for newly built societies.

The Ellet of the towers, having been freed from bondage by their knights or by the people of their villages, wandered the land searching for their own kind. Many, however, agreed to stay and help the people rebuild after the war. Soon, as villages were built around every outpost, the people began to live in peace again.

One of these villages was called Eaden, and it was into this village that a certain archer stumbled. She too had once been through war of a sort, yet her tale was far from over.


	3. The Mirror Breaks

**The Mirror Breaks**

This story truly begins four years after the Lady Chell left Castle Aperture. The Queen, though now aware of her past concerning the King, still ruled in ever growing discontent. Regaining her Crown had only strengthened her wish for the trial to continue. Indeed the mysteries of the Bow had been solved, yet Glados was beyond all wisdom and logic.

The Queen's two most loyal subjects were the Lord Atlas and the Lady Peabody. Not only were they under the spell that the Queen laid upon all those within Castle Aperture, but they had also been born and raised within its walls, making their loyalty even more resolute. The Lord Atlas was a short stocky fellow with wide shoulders and a serious glance. The exact opposite was the Lady Peabody who was tall and straight and held herself in the most rigid posture. They, along with the rest of the knights and servants who were still under Glados' control, remained in the Castle serving the Queen. Yet their loyalty was more a curse than a blessing concerning the trial. Glados needed the determination of an adversary to learn the secrets of the Bow. She needed the Lady Chell.

And so it was, on one particular night, Glados sat upon her throne and turned her eyes towards the mirror that had played so vital a part all those years ago. And thus did she regret her decision and the loss of her most worthy adversary.

Within that very mirror, in a realm that none could tell the nature of, Sir Wheatley and Sir Kevin were still held prisoner. They had no comprehension of how much time had passed, but Sir Wheatley believed it had been ages. In that dark and shapeless world, the only source of light was the dim glow from the other side of the enchanted mirror. Yet it only served to be a reminder of what they had lost, rather than a point of hope.

And so it was, that on that one particular night, Sir Wheatley, still filled with the regret of his actions, stood before the smooth grey oval of the mirror and longed to return to the land that he came from. The more he thought of those days before he had been trapped, the more angered he became. In a burst of frustration, he struck the mirror with all his might, and to his amazement, it began to crack. He struck it again, but he was not strong enough to break the glass completely.

The Queen's contemplation was interrupted by the cracking of the mirror. It was then that she remembered the fool trapped inside, and thus did an evil solution to her regret crowd her thoughts. She took up her iron scepter and struck the mirror where it hung next to her throne. As the cracks spread across the glass, it began to glow with an unnatural blue flame, and before the Queen could take a breath, the two wayward knights shot out of the mirror and fell upon the throne room floor. The cracks in the mirror reached the frame and suddenly it splintered into large sharp pieces that clattered to the floor with a terrible sound.

Sir Wheatley and Sir Kevin looked up in horror to see the Queen standing over them. They both turned to flee the throne room, yet all was in vain, for in a blast of sorcery, the Queen destroyed the entrance. Stone and mortar fell down across the doorway, and Sir Kevin, who had been more swift than Wheatley, was crushed beneath the rubble.

Before Sir Wheatley had time to grieve for his companion, the other knights of the Queen took hold of him, carried him to the dungeons of the Castle and locked him inside. The Queen retrieved from her most secret of rooms a crystal ball long forgotten by the learned men of the kingdom. It had been said that the strange gem would allow the user to talk to the person they most desired to speak with. In this way, she would be able to make a certain knight send a very special message to the Lady Chell. Such a message would draw the Queen's foe back to Castle Aperture.


	4. The Plea and the Pardon

**The Plea and the Pardon**

After her escape from Castle Aperture all those years ago, the Lady Chell had wandered the lands looking for refuge in the war torn remnants of the kingdom. At last in her journey, she happened upon the village of Eaden. Built around an old outpost, the village was quiet, peaceful and full of kind people rebuilding what lives they could amid the ruin left by the Queen's ascent and the war.

Though the Lady Chell's memories of the days before the trial were dimmed by the enchanted sleep that had been placed upon her by the Queen, she had not forgotten her former skills in the court of the king. She soon became keeper of the town bakery, where she lived very happily for those four years.

One day, as Chell was preparing bread for an upcoming village festival, she walked past the only mirror in her quaint cottage. Her heart leapt within her chest, for not only was her reflection absent, but the image of another person was forming before her eyes. Some strange magic was at work, and the Lady Chell drew closer to see what it was. Suddenly the image of Sir Wheatley in the dungeons of Aperture appeared, for the Queen had used her long dormant crystal to allow Wheatley to speak to whomever his heart desired.

Sir Wheatley pleaded for the Lady Chell to aid him, half fearing for his life and half wishing to beg her forgiveness. Despite his destitution, she had forgotten neither his betrayal nor his attempts to slay her. Yet she still remembered his friendship and loyalty before his mind was so poisoned by the Crown and, in the depths of her heart, she knew that she must give him aid. Indeed, she also feared that the Queen would torture the poor fool, and the Lady Chell could not have his death on her hands.

Before the sun had reached noon, she was making her way across field and moor as fast as she could, laden with supplies and tools to aid in her quest. After a day's journey, she could see the dark shape of Castle Aperture in the distance. Lady Chell had long been aware of the seemingly silent Castle's location and had at times wandered back to scout out the back doors and hidden ways into the dark fortress. Though she had never wished to go back to that terrible place, her thoughts turned more to the welfare of the people of her village. Knowledge of the old Castle's hidden doors and entrances would aid her in turning others away from it's terrible danger within.

She found one of these secret doorways and crept inside the Castle. Though she did not have the Bow, the Lady Chell was no less cunning and alert and she quickly made her way down into the old dungeon. There, she found poor Sir Wheatley and she swiftly broke the locks that held him prisoner.

As they fled together, Sir Wheatley begged the forgiveness of Chell as he had so longed to do for all those ages within the mirror. She was silent at first, the memories of his past betrayal still burning in her mind. At last she spoke and had compassion on him, yet bid him prove his loyalty rather than speak it. This lifted Sir Wheatley's spirits, and he vowed to stay by her side.

Suddenly a great horn was sounded within the Castle wall, a signal to all within that the prisoner had escaped. The Queen was delighted that her plan had not been in vain and she ordered her guards to pursue and capture the Lady Chell at all costs. Soon, Wheatley and Chell were fleeing for their lives through the Castle. Alas, Wheatley's armor slowed him down in their haste, and thus did the Lady Chell advise him to remove all metal and articles of rank that associated him with the Castle. They happened upon an older part of Aperture were they found a great store of uniforms and other clothing. Here, Sir Wheatley traded his knight's tunic of grey and bright blue for the common garb of a peasant. He did this reluctantly, though he inquired if he might keep his sword. He was not skilled in swordplay, and there was little chance that he would ever wield it, but Chell consented.

They fled down passageways and hidden halls until they were almost to the secret entrance that the Lady Chell had come through. Yet, as they approached it, one of the Queen's most formidable knights leapt up behind them. This knight was a very large and strong servant of the Queen who was often instructed to remove unwanted visitors from the Castle, and thus he had earned the title "The Escort".

This formidable knight lunged at the Lady Chell, for he had only been instructed to capture her, and thus paid no mind to the fool. Wheatley, seeing the knight was not after him, fled to the secret door in hopes of escape. The Lady Chell was not strong enough to take on such an adversary, and in the struggle, she was gravely wounded. She called out to Sir Wheatley to help her, but Wheatley only cowered, his hand upon the door, ready to open it and flee the Castle. Yet as he looked back and saw Chell fallen and so gravely wounded, he remembered his vow and rose up and struck a mighty blow to the Escort's head. The large knight had been turned away from Sir Wheatley and, at one blow from the fool, the Escort fell forward to the ground and struggled to right himself.

Before the Escort could recover and pursue them, Sir Wheatley took up the Lady Chell in his arms and carried her through the secret door. They stepped from the Castle out into the bright sun and the door shut behind them. With her last ounce of strength, the Lady Chell pointed in the direction of her village. And with that she swooned and heard and saw no more.


	5. The Village of Eaden

**The Village of Eaden**

The journey was long and arduous for the former knight of Aperture, yet he pressed on. Through the night and across the wild, Sir Wheatley carried the Lady Chell until at last he saw in the distance the village of Eaden. The sun was just beginning to rise as Sir Wheatley strode across the vast wheat fields that surrounded the small town. As he approached the edge of the village, he was greeted by a young girl called Ellie. Upon seeing the Lady Chell's wound, Ellie grew frightened and ran away from the two strangers. Wheatley followed her into the village, and soon the good people of Eaden brought him to the town's healer, a woman by the name of Dillon. Chell's wounds were dressed and Sir Wheatley was comforted that she would be made whole once again. And so she slept until the sun was low in the sky and night was coming on. The Lady Chell awoke, and by the art of the healer of Eaden, she was well enough to walk again.

Upon Chell's waking, Sir Wheatley told her the tale of how he had carried her back to the village, but Chell was not as overjoyed as he was. She told him that he was forgiven for his actions with the Crown, and for almost abandoning her at the secret door, but a third trespass would be the last she would permit.

Sir Wheatley had so few memories of his life before coming under the control of the Queen that he was unsure of the common courtesies of most folk. Indeed, he was disposed to follow Lady Chell wherever she went. Chell's cottage had a spare room for travelers, and it was there that Sir Wheatley stayed. Thus did night fall on Eaden, and the Lady Chell and Sir Wheatley rested peacefully, hopeful that they had both at last been freed from the wrath of Queen Glados.


	6. The Market

**The Market**

That night as Sir Wheatley slept, he had a very strange dream.

The context was a mystery to him, yet he seemed to think it might have something to do with his forgotten days in Aperture. In his dream, he was running through the Castle to deliver a message, when suddenly he ran straight into a servant girl carrying a very tall stack of plates. In dismay, and amidst the sincerest of apologies, he stooped to help gather the shattered fragments. And it was then that he looked up and beheld the young woman he had so clumsily hindered. Never had he seen such beauty in all his life. He opened his mouth to speak, only to be suddenly awoken and alas the dream was gone.

As soon as he met the Lady Chell that morning, he realized with amazement that it had been her face that he had seen in his dream. As they both walked through the town on their way to the market, Wheatley told Chell of his vision, though he did not disclose his admiration of her beauty. He spoke of how, though it seemed to be a memory, the details were dim and bizarre. His account intrigued her, for their memories of the events that had taken place before their meeting amidst the trial of the Bow were mysteriously lost to them both.

When they reached the marketplace, the Lady Chell introduced Sir Wheatley to the good people of the town. His identity as a knight of Aperture was kept hidden, lest the people be afraid of him. Though, despite their effort to conceal his true occupation, it was apparent to most that he was not quite what he seemed. One of the Lady Chell's dear friends, the town's chief elder, Aaron of Halifax, pressed them both for an answer to how she had become so badly wounded. Fearful of her dear friend becoming too inquisitive about the old Castle, she bid Wheatley relay the tale of the dark evils that resided within its walls. For though she was growing fond of him, Chell knew Sir Wheatley was a coward and that the fear that burned in his voice as he spoke of that evil place would be enough to lead Aaron to decide not press the issue further.

As his tale ended, Sir Wheatley was quite shaken. Simply recalling the terrible place they had come from terrified him, yet the Lady Chell casually surmised that his obvious fear had succeeded in convincing Aaron never to inquire of the Castle again. Sir Wheatley then realized the Lady Chell's purpose in bidding him to relay the terrible account. He grew angry at her for selfishly using his fear for her own purposes, and thus in a fit of anger he declared to her that she was no different in heart than the very Queen they had escaped from. Chell was so offended at this that she struck Sir Wheatley across the face in anger. It was then that they both realized they had hurt each other, yet it was Wheatley who fled in shame.


	7. The Woman in the Tower

**The Woman in the Tower**

Sir Wheatley ran until he reached the farthest edge of the village where the watchtower of the old kingdom still stood. The old and decaying stonework of the former outpost rose before him as he approached it. In his wandering, he came upon the town blacksmith, Garret, Son of Richard, standing at the foot of the great structure. Garret was a young, yet hearty, fellow, with blond hair and skin that had seen many a day in the sun. The blacksmith hammered a piece of iron upon his anvil, and when Wheatley approached, he looked up and greeted him. Upon their acquaintanceship, Garret told Wheatley the tale of the outpost and of his work therein.

In the days of the kingdom when the Ellet were first brought to the outposts, an apparatus of mirrors and crystals had been built in the highest level of each tower. There the Ellet of the outpost would stand in the midst, and the light reflected from the machinery around them increased the distance of their communication with their fellow Ellet in nearby towers.

During the war, this particular tower had been a point of attack and the apparatus of mirrors and gems had been damaged. Garret, being skilled in metal work and all things mechanical, took up the task of repairing it. He was nearing completion, yet there was one element he lacked: the Ellet of the tower.

The Ellet of this outpost was a young woman, wondrous fair to look upon, with long white hair that reached nearly to her feet. After the knight of the outpost abandoned his tower, the people of the village had freed her. Yet when her bonds were broken, she grew afraid and asked for the servant of the King to command her. The people told her that he had left and that she was free to go wherever she willed. But the Ellet, having been enslaved for so long, was fearful and unsure of any other life beyond the outpost. She hid herself inside the tower and would not leave unless a servant of the King should return.

Garret had tried to speak to her as well, but she refused and would hide whenever he approached. He had grown very fond of her and brought her food and water in her solitude, yet still she refused to speak to him. He had named her Foxglove, for she reminded him of the flowers that grew in the fields outside of Eaden. Yet, for all his hard work on the tower's machinery, if Foxglove would not aid him in it's operation, then all his work would be for naught.

As Garret told Wheatley of his work on the tower, the Lady Chell approached. Sir Wheatley met her, and they both sought each other's forgiveness. They returned to Chell's cottage, all wrongs for that day made right.


	8. The Nightmare

**The Nightmare**

On that second night in the village of Eaden, Wheatley dreamt again of what seemed to be his days as a Knight in training before the trial. It troubled him that there was so much he did not know of his past, for the visions seemed dim and unfamiliar.

Suddenly he awoke with a start. It was still night and the cottage was dim, lit only by the light of the moon shining through the windows. He had heard a noise from the other side of the cottage that troubled him. It seemed to come from the Lady Chell's bedchamber. He rose up, stepped quietly through the cottage, and approached her door. Being an honorable man, he knocked softly and inquired if all was well. The Lady Chell gave no answer, yet after a moment had passed he heard again a sound of struggle. Fearful for her safety, he opened the door and warily peered through the entrance.

To his amazement, he found that the Lady Chell was moving around the room. Though her eyes were still shut tightly, she was darting to and fro, striking the walls and gripping her blanket. Sir Wheatley perceived that she was indeed walking in her sleep, yet he also realized that she was dreaming of the trial of the Bow. Her steeled gaze was one that she had only worn in those dark days when they had fled the Queen together.

He gently approached her, speaking soft words of comfort and led her back to her bed. Hearing his voice, she calmed and her countenance softened. Before leaving the room, Sir Wheatley paused to contemplate his past with the young woman who had been so kind to him despite his terrible betrayal. Though she was sleeping, he spoke of his admiration for her and how he thought that he would never grow as accustomed to a life outside of the Castle as she had. Indeed, he confessed to her that he felt he had no purpose in the village and that his secret past would never leave him. He could only ever remember being a knight, and thus was it doomed to define his life.

Half dreaming, half waking, the Lady Chell heard his words to her. As he left the room, she again thought of the days before the trial and how they still remained a mystery. She resolved that somehow she would find a way for them both to remember the past that had been lost.


	9. The Distracted Archer

**The Distracted Archer**

The next morning, the Lady Chell was hard at work baking bread. Sir Wheatley joined her in the baking, yet for all his enthusiasm, he was not as skilled as she. When all was done, he had formed a loaf so deformed and unrecognizable that the children of the village came from far and wide to wonder at its strangeness.

Though it was hard as a stone and most assuredly not fit to eat, the Lady Chell thought of another use for it. She and Sir Wheatley brought it to Garret the blacksmith, who took the misshapen loaf and cut it up into smaller pieces. Then they all journeyed out into the field near the edge of Eaden where the Lady Chell and Garret had set up an archery range. Though archery had been a task forced upon her, Chell wished to never lose that valuable skill, lest her past rise up to trouble her small village. Garret had built a device that would cast an object of choice high into the air and provide a moving target for Chell's ever growing skills in archery. This they did with Sir Wheatley's loaf, for the dense nature of the bread made it all the more satisfying to strike with an arrow.

Chell sought to teach Sir Wheatley to fire an arrow, but he was not skilled in aim or dexterity. In addition to this setback, he became immensely distracted as Chell spoke to him of archery and aim. He beheld her face all the more closely and remembered how he had felt in his visions of the past. This took up so much of his thought that his arrows all flew askew, nearly striking a flock of sheep in a neighboring pasture. Thus did the archery session soon come to an end.

The three companions then went to the market. It was there that Garret, who also served as a shopkeep alongside the town's chief elder, Arron of Halifax, lived in a spare room adjacent to the marketplace. There, he was keeper of a storeroom of valuable items that he and Aaron had gathered over the many years of their residence in Eaden. Many of these items were remnants of the Kingdom of Aperture, though few knew what purposes they served.

The Lady Chell had long known that among these gathered items several unknown potions and elixirs were stored with the utmost care. Garret had once told her of their many uses, though he did not spread the knowledge widely. One particular potion was found to bring back memories if a few drops were swallowed. Intrigued by Wheatley's dream, the Lady Chell beseeched Garret to sell her a small vile of this strange elixir. He consented reluctantly, informing her that the exact effects were not known.

As the Lady Chell bartered with Garret, Sir Wheatley was left in Garret's absence to keep watch over the various trade tables and wares in the market. While he was there, the young girl called Ellie, the same girl who had greeted him upon his arrival at Eaden, walked by on an errand for her father. When she saw Sir Wheatley, she remembered their last meeting and was afraid. Yet as she spoke to him, she found him to be a very kind fellow and gave him a pin from her hair as a token of friendship. It bore the emblem of a frog in green stone and Sir Wheatley took it with a smile and pinned it to his tunic.

Sir Wheatley asked little Ellie what her errand was. She told him that she had been sent to purchase various items at the market for her father. Sir Wheatley, with great pride in his temporary position, attempted to reach up to a high shelf to retrieve an item for Ellie. Yet in his preoccupation, Sir Wheatley lost his footing and nearly brought down the entire market pavilion. The Lady Chell and Garret heard the commotion and soon set things right. And thus as the day ended, the Lady Chell and the former knight returned to her cottage once more.

As they walked to the cottage, Chell pressed Sir Wheatley for a more detailed account of his dream. She also bid him try to remember what had taken place in his life before the days of the trial. But alas, Sir Wheatley could not recall any details save the day that he had first become aware of himself after the Queen had been defeated. He spoke of how he remembered the spell of the Queen falling away and suddenly realizing that he must escape. Then, how he had tried to ask the other knights for help and how he had at last awoken the Lady Chell. Yet what came before was nowhere to be found in his recollection. This made the Lady Chell all the more resolved to try the potion that might bring back their pasts.


	10. The Forgotten Past

**The Forgotten Past**

The Lady Chell kept the vial of potion secret from Sir Wheatley. She was unsure if he would be willing to use it, for when he spoke of his past he seemed uneasy and afraid. Chell had recalled, if nothing else, her skill in the service of the King. Thus she hoped that perhaps if Sir Wheatley remembered his former days, he would realize his purpose and grow accustomed to life outside the Castle.

That night as Sir Wheatley slept, the Lady Chell crept into his room and, careful not to wake him, dropped a few drops of the precious potion into his mouth. She returned to her own bed and drank a few drops herself, hopeful that when morning came they would both remember what had taken place before the trial of the Bow.

Sir Wheatley did dream again, yet this time his dream was clear and soon he realized it was a memory. So also did the Lady Chell dream of her lost days before the trial, but here was revealed the strange effect of the potion. The dreamer who drinks after another shall share in the vision of the first. For as Sir Wheatley dreamed, the Lady Chell saw his vision, though much of it she had no knowledge of prior. As she saw his vision in her mind, it brought back memories of her own, and the full nature of their pasts was revealed.

And thus did they dream:

 _In the days before the trial, the Lady Chell had been a servant girl in the court of the King. She cooked and cleaned, speaking only when necessary. One day while carrying a stack of plates, she ran into one of the King's knights in training, a young man named Wheatley._

 _From the moment that Wheatley met the Lady Chell, his heart was full to the brimming with love. He thought that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He_ _admired her poise and dignity despite being a lowly cook, and f_ _rom that day forward, he took every opportunity to be with her. Wheatley had been training to be a knight, an occupation that had nothing to do with the lower servants of the Castle._ _Yet he somehow always found a way to pass through the kitchen on his way to the courtyard for training._

 _Chell's fellow scullery maids weren't all too happy with him. In fact, Sir Wheatley was so clumsy on his feet that, at the chime of the 10 o'clock bells each day, they all scrambled to their places to put away anything that could be broken, spilled or knocked over. Indeed, they braced themselves for the sound of chainmail, frantic footfalls and profuse apologies._

 _Yet unlike the others, the Lady Chell did not find his presence irritating. Although she did seem to wonder if he had another reason to pass through the kitchen besides partaking in some of their freshly baked bread._ _As time passed his love for her grew, and realizing that he could no longer be silent, the day arrived when he decided to ask the Lady Chell if she would allow him to court her._

 _But alas, it was not meant to be. For on the very day that Sir Wheatley had resolved to proclaim his love, the King died and the Queen became the unrivaled ruler of Aperture. She summoned all the knights, even those still in training, to the throne room. It was there that she laid the spell on their minds that they would forget all they had known in their days before and serve the Crown alone._

 _The Lady Chell wondered why Sir Wheatley did not pass through the kitchen on that day. On that very morning, she had baked a special loaf just for him. As the alarms rang out for all to flee, she reluctantly made her way to the Castle gate. She searched for the Knight in training that she had befriended, yet in the chaos he was nowhere to be found. And so it was that the Lady Chell was not swift enough to escape the Castle. She fell into the deep enchanted sleep placed on all by the Queen. So strong was the sleep that when she awoke to first take up the Bow, she had completely forgotten her friend and all of their encounters in Castle Aperture._

 _Sir Wheatley had born the worst on that terrible day when he had been called to the throne room. He beheld the slain forms of the learned men of Aperture and the burning wrath of the Queen. He tried to flee, but by her dark art, Glados laid hold of his mind and the minds of the other knights. His last thought before all memory and loyalty faded from him was of the Lady Chell and how much he loved her._

* * *

The Lady Chell woke first from her dream of the past, shocked and saddened by the memory of Sir Wheatley that she had seen. She thought to wake Wheatley, but guilt pressed in upon her mind. She had done a terrible disservice to them both for bringing back such sad and terrible memories, and she had seen things that only he knew. Instead, she left the cottage to walk alone and think on what she had done.

Even as the Lady Chell left, Sir Wheatley woke from his terrible recollection. He knocked on her door to speak to her about his vision, for he sensed that it was more than it seemed, but she was not there. He did however find the vial that she had obtained from Garret. Upon further examination of the remnant of its contents, he realized what she had done and once again he was angry.

Yet for all his frustration, the sorrow of his memories grieved him beyond measure. The memories burned in his mind and brought to light the truth that he had sought to ignore over the past few days. Without any knowledge of their prior meeting, he had learned to love the Lady Chell all over again as if from the beginning. Perhaps he was destined to always seek to be by her side, whether in the service of the King or in fleeing from the Queen. Even without knowing who she had been or how much she had meant to him, he had sought her out in his attempts to escape the Castle.

In the deep recesses of his mind, Sir Wheatley had hoped that perhaps he had not always been a fool. That perhaps somewhere in his past he had been useful and had a purpose, a purpose that had been cruelly stripped away from him when the Queen had meddled with his mind. Yet now was revealed to him that even in the days before the trial he had been no different than he was now. He was the man others laughed at, the one they had all said was more worthy to be a court jester than a knight.

Sorrow overwhelmed him even more as he realized that he had never had the chance to ask the Lady Chell if she felt the same for him as he did for her. And now in light of all he had done since those long lost days, the hope that she would love him in return was gone. He wished with all his heart that he could forget again. He wished to forget the love he had for her in the past so as to never have the thought to hope for it in the present. He wondered if there might be a way to reverse the potion's effects.


	11. The Blacksmith's Revelation

**The Blacksmith's Revelation**

That night, at the hour at which most people are sleeping in their beds, Garret the blacksmith was busy in his workshop. Unable to solve the issue of Foxglove's fear, he had stayed up into the late hours of the night trying to think of a solution. Suddenly he heard a sound come from his storeroom and feared that a thief had broken in.

He was soon surprised to find Sir Wheatley rummaging around his collection of valuable potions. The blacksmith confronted him, thinking he had come to steal, yet Sir Wheatley assured him that he had no intention to steal, but was in fact seeking help. The poor fool had already tried drinking some of the less potent elixirs, yet had only succeeded in drinking a potion that made the color yellow fade from vision. To Wheatley's great relief, Garret had an antidote and soon his vision was restored.

The blacksmith sat Wheatley down and asked what troubled him so. In his dire need for a solution, Sir Wheatley told the blacksmith the entirety of his tale. He spoke of how he had been a former Knight in Aperture, how the Lady Chell had helped him to escape and how she had used the potion to bring back memories that he no longer wanted. Garret wondered at this and inquired where this incredible fortress might be found. Yet, knowing the fear that the Lady Chell had for the people of her village, Wheatley would not speak of it.

Garret, seeing that Wheatley would not disclose any other information, and also in an attempt to perhaps calm the poor fool, offered Sir Wheatley a drink. Unsure of the common courtesies of most folk and the effects of strong drink, Wheatley took it willingly. Soon his tongue was loosed and in the midst of absentminded drivel, he laid on the floor of Garret's workshop and spoke of all his troubles. He spoke of the Queen and her terrible wrath. He spoke of his former knighthood and the terrible circumstances of his former life. But above all, he spoke of the Lady Chell and his abundant love for the former servant girl.

Garret listened keenly to Wheatley's slurred speech until he realized that here at last was the solution he had so desperately sought after. For indeed, Wheatley was a Knight of Aperture. A Knight of Aperture who could speak to Foxglove.

By the time Wheatley had regained coherent thought, Garret was already busy about the shop gathering the final pieces for the tower's machinery. Soon he hurried Sir Wheatley out the door, and off to the tower they both went. On their way, they came upon the Lady Chell, still wandering the town in deep thought. The Lady and the former knight looked upon each other with wonder and fear, for they now both remembered their past encounters in Castle Aperture and neither knew the thoughts or feelings of the other in light of the visions.

Yet Wheatley gently took Chell's hand in his and he then knew in his heart that even if she did not love him, he would care for her regardless of what she thought. Thus did the blacksmith, the fool and the former servant girl make their way to the tower with hopes of restoring the outpost of Eaden.


	12. The Song of the Ellet

**The Song of the Ellet**

The sun was beginning to rise over the rolling fields of Eaden as Garret finished the last repair to the tower's complex mechanism. A crowd had gathered outside the old outpost, curious to see if Garret's shouts of excitement would come to fruition. The blacksmith brought Sir Wheatley, and only he, up into the tower. Garret feared that Foxglove might be frightened by a crowd of villagers.

Garret led Sir Wheatley up the winding stairs and passages within the outpost until they came to a door. This doorway led to the room where Foxglove hid, and he bid Wheatley call to her. At first, Sir Wheatley was unsure if it would work, but he soon mustered the courage to speak her name. The fair Ellet slowly emerged from the room and asked him if he was a servant of the King. He assured her that he was, yet Foxglove's bright eyes were filled with doubt. She did not recognize him, for he bore no mark or symbol of rank.

It was then that Sir Wheatley remembered his sword that he had carried with him from Castle Aperture. In all his wandering in the village he had kept it with him, for it was not uncommon for travelers to be armed. He drew it slowly from its sheath, and there upon the hilt was the symbol of the Kingdom of Aperture. Foxglove's eyes grew wide, and she took his hand and bid him command her. Yet the former knight did not know what to command. He whispered to Garret who was standing nearby and asked what he should bid her to do. Garret instructed Wheatley to lead her to the upper level of the tower.

The uppermost level of the tower consisted of a great domelike structure with pillars that supported it. From that great pinnacle the entire countryside could be seen, and Wheatley gazed warily at the edge, fearful of its height. In the very center of the domelike structure sat the incredible mechanism upon which Garret had long labored to repair. It stretched up like two trees, its hinged metal branches bearing gems and mirrors that could be positioned at will. The blacksmith had spent long hours positioning them just right so as to increase the range of the Ellet's thought. In the center of the device was a platform where the Ellet was to stand whilst speaking to others in far away towers. Just below the upper level was constructed a system of gears and machinery which seemed to be connected to the platform in the center and gave it the ability to turn. How this was done even Garret was not sure. The entire inside of the dome was covered with gems, reflectors and other gears and machinery, and Wheatley wondered at the sight.

One particular reflector, which hung upon one of the pillars, was very familiar. It was tall and in the shape of an oval, and Wheatley asked the blacksmith of its origin. Garret explained that it had been passed down to him by his father, who said that he had fashioned it from a piece of a strange stone that he had found while wandering the lands after the war. Garret had brought it up to the tower chamber and had used it to replace another mirror that had been broken. Wheatley wondered if it might be made from the very same substance as the mirror that had entrapped him for four long years.

Though he was curious, Sir Wheatley knew that other matters were more pressing and he took Foxglove by the hand and gently led her to the center of the great mechanism. He then bid her operate it and speak to her fellow Ellet in the other villages. She looked at him with confusion, for as she gazed upon the mechanism that had been her chief task before the war, she found that it had not been put right. Many mirrors and gems, though positioned to the best of Garret's ability, were wrongly placed and terribly misaligned. She asked Sir Wheatley if she was permitted to reset them.

Before Garret could stop him, Wheatley answered her in the affirmative and soon the Ellet woman was running to and fro throughout the upper chamber. Garret cried out in dismay as all of his thought out predictions and calculations were lost as the Ellet woman moved and shifted the pieces of the great apparatus.

Suddenly she leapt up and stood upon the platform. Foxglove reached to the side and took hold of a leaver that was amidst the apparatus and when she pulled it, the gears began to mesh and grind beneath her feet. Suddenly sections of the dome began to raise, the reflectors upon them fanning out towards the surrounding countryside. The platform turned until the Ellet woman faced west and then came to a halt with a grinding din. She raised her hands and, as she did, the light of the rising sun struck one gem and then another, one mirror and then another, until the chamber was filled with brilliant light rushing too and fro. As she stood, her long hair blew back behind her in the gathering wind and her eyes shone with a brilliant light.

Garret and Sir Wheatley stared in wonder at the Ellet woman, her expression relaying that something was happening. Garret stepped forward and asked the Ellet if she could hear the thoughts of her fellow kind.

As quickly and clearly as a ray of sun, Foxglove began to sing. She held her hands high and her smile was bright, for it had been so long since she had heard the thoughts of another Ellet. Her voice was like the rippling water of a stream and fell from her lips in high clear tones.

And thus did she sing:

 _Oh Verily doth the sun shine_

 _The clouds have flown away_

 _The rain is gone ere eastward_

 _Oh people, do not stray._

* * *

 _See swiftly now how she runs_

 _The sun in all her light_

 _From darkness flees the shadow_

 _Thus comes the hallowed bright._

* * *

 _Sky of blue, for long you have_ been hiding

 _Sky of blue, why did you fly away?_

 _Fairest rays of summer light in the morning_

 _Tell us true. Why did you go astray?_

* * *

 _Oh fairest of all the fellows_

 _come now to long lost home_

 _in searching we have labored_

 _Rejoice! No more to roam._

* * *

 _Sky of blue, for long you have been hiding._

 _Sky of blue, why did you fly away?_

 _Truly here is where you shall find dwelling_

 _See your joy our beaming faces say._

* * *

 _Oh high blue light of the evening,_

 _beware the night is nigh_

 _Its hand of sorrow nears you_

 _We shan't_ forget your light.

* * *

 _Sky of blue, for long you have been hiding._

 _Sky of blue, why did you fly away?_

 _For Lost is found, your love she calls unto you._

 _Live in peace until our ending day._

Garret shouted out in utter jubilation, for this song he knew was the theme of a village hundreds of miles away. Foxglove had heard it from her fellow Ellet in a far off outpost. The tower had at last been restored.

The people of the village rejoiced at their great fortune, and when Garret and Sir Wheatley descended from the tower, they gathered round to commend the blacksmith. Yet Garret shook his head and pointed to the former knight. Here was the hero of the day, for it was Wheatley who had spoken to Foxglove and that had brought her song to the village.

In the midst of the great celebration, Sir Wheatley caught the face of the Lady Chell. Where before had been doubt and mistrust, he now saw the greatest admiration and pride. Her smile was like the summer sun shining through a darkened window, and the beauty of it smote his heart. The Lady Chell took his hand and pulled him away from the gathering crowd. When they were alone, she embraced him. Sir Wheatley was at first taken aback, yet at last he realized that perhaps there was indeed a glimmer of hope that she could love him in return. Thus did they celebrate together, for at last the fool had found his purpose in the village of Eaden.


	13. The Dancing and the Memory

**The Dancing and the Memory**

When the crowd had calmed enough for him to get away, Sir Wheatley took Garret up into the upper level of the tower. Yet this time the former knight laid the hand of the young Ellet woman in the hand of the blacksmith. Sir Wheatley bid her be free of her bondage, yet if she wished to stay, to let Garret instruct her in the ways of the tower. And thus did Foxglove choose to stay in Eaden, seeing the compassion of the blacksmith and remembering the kindness that he had bestowed upon her in her solitude.

Eaden came alive with celebration that evening. The village festival was set up at the foot of the tower and the people fellowshipped upon the grass. Foxglove's clear song rang out for all to hear. The people danced, and even the most stoic of the villagers found they could not help but join in.

As the festival carried on, the Lady Chell and Sir Wheatley walked together in the wheat fields away from the tower. Foxglove's song could still be heard, and Sir Wheatley asked the Lady Chell if she would care to dance. She declined for she was afraid of looking foolish. The former knight assured her that none would know of her foolishness, for they were alone in the windswept fields of Eaden. Yet she still would not consent, for she said that Sir Wheatley would surely laugh at her if he saw her dancing. Thus did he grant her wish and shut his eyes. Sir Wheatley staggered clumsily and offered his hand to her and bid her dance with him. She laughed and put her hand in his. Thus did the two dance amidst the swaying wheat field, now a brilliant gold in the light of the setting sun.

As they danced, the Lady Chell began to think of the knight that held her hand in his. She thought of the past that they had had together. She remembered the trials that she and Sir Wheatley had been through and wondered at how, amidst such terrible darkness and adversity, they had somehow found each other again. So overcome was she by the memory that the Lady Chell began to weep. Sir Wheatley stopped their dance and asked what distressed her so. She spoke to him of her fear for the people of Eaden and of her dread for that terrible place from which they had come. It was then that the Lady Chell told Sir Wheatley the sorrowful story of the Queen, for many in the Castle had not known the whole tale. The events that had occurred after Sir Wheatley had cast the Queen and the Lady Chell into the labyrinth were unknown to the former knight. Chell was one of the few who knew the tale of the Queen's corruption, for she had witnessed the Queen's destitution as she had gazed upon the portrait of the King in those deep halls of Aperture. Chell told Wheatley of how her name had once been Caroline the Fair and how it was by the power of the Crown that her corruption came.

At these words, a memory leapt up in Sir Wheatley's mind. Whether it was a last effect of the potion that Chell had given him, or a vision of the past he did not know.

 _In the days after the Queen had fallen, Sir Wheatley, through the fading of the Queen's power, had become aware of himself again. In his search for a way out of the Castle, he wandered deep into the abandoned halls of the lowest floors of Aperture. It was there that one day he had met a small Ellet girl with bright red eyes. She spoke to him in cryptic riddles he did not understand._

 _And thus did she speak:_

 _A web of regret anger doth spin_

 _Forget not Her name was Caroline_

 _Your voice it was that blanched the dark_

 _foresight of all who seek and hark_

* * *

 _In twilight slumber of the mind_

 _alive and dead, until the time._

 _Power's draw and freedom's light_

 _yet folly is the captor's flight_

* * *

 _To thee shall cling the darkened eye_

 _forward till death without a sky_

 _The clock doth wind, the fool shall fall_

 _an unsure path, his courage small._

* * *

 _Alas for blind to truth is he_

 _who seeks to set the sleeper free_

 _the heart of sorrow holds the flame_

 _within the depths the truth remains_

* * *

 _Both sorceress and saint shall rise,_

 _Her arms doth bear, for freedom strives,_

 _Wary be ye fool of blue,_

 _the price is far too much for you._

* * *

 _For hunger burns the soul of he_

 _who longs for immortality,_

 _in love the darkness shan't endure_

 _the heart of him who holds the cure._

 _As she spoke, the Oracle's eyes were bright and her words rang in Wheatley's mind. So shaken was he by her omen that he sought to put it from his memory. Only when he and the Lady Chell had met the Ellet again did he recall some of her verse, yet he did not understand the truth and gravity of what she spoke. He did not understand her warning._

Sir Wheatley and the Lady Chell continued to walk the fields until night fell. There, they sat beneath the stars and dreamed in peace. For here at last, they felt that they had truly found a home and that the darkness of their past was behind them.


	14. The Abduction

**The Abduction**

Whilst all these things were going on, Queen Glados brooded all the more in her Castle. She had been furious at the loss of the Lady Chell a second time, and now she was determined more than ever to capture the archer.

On the day that Foxglove had sung her song, the Queen heard a curious sound coming from a forgotten room of the Castle. She looked in and saw the Ellet girl with bright red eyes singing to herself. The song was of blue skies and long lost home, and the Queen wondered where the girl could have heard such a tune. In her long study of the Kingdom's past, the Queen had uncovered the King's history with the Ellet people. She knew of their mental abilities and the system that the King had orchestrated. And thus did she at last surmise that the Oracle must have heard the song from the Ellet of the nearest outpost, and surely the nearest outpost was where the Lady Chell and the fool had fled. The Queen approached the Oracle and inquired of her where the song came from. In fear of the Queen, the young Ellet girl pointed in the direction of the Village of Eaden.

Glados called for her two most loyal servants, the Lady Peabody and the Lord Atlas. She bid them take the Bow and fire an arrow into the wall of the Castle dungeons. Then, they were to both be laden with provisions for a day's journey and set out for the village of Eaden. The Queen, who had long hoarded the strange potions and medicines of the learned men of the King, gave them a sleeping draught, which they were instructed to put into the drinks of the Lady Chell and Sir Wheatley. They were then told that once the deed was done, they were to fire the second arrow into a wall in the village and thereby step through into Aperture. In this way, they would capture the two fugitives and leave no time for any to rescue them. The two servants of the Queen shot their opening upon the wall of the Castle dungeon and then made their way out of Aperture and into the countryside.

By the time they reached the village of Eaden, the festival was in full swing and there were many gathered at the base of the outpost. The Lord Atlas and the Lady Peabody slowly intermingled with the crowd, unnoticed in the large throng. They searched and searched among the town's folk, but could not spot the Lady Chell or Sir Wheatley.

It was here that Sir Atlas had a spark of ingenuity. He saw that the people drew their water from a nearby well and that several times since they had arrived, folk had drawn from its depths for their refreshment. The Lord Atlas and the Lady Peabody stealthily dropped the sleeping draught into the well. Thus did they wait, for they thought that surely if Sir Wheatley and the Lady Chell were in the village, they would drink the water along with the other people at the festival.

Soon the people of Eaden fell into a deep and unnatural sleep, from the eldest to the youngest, including little Ellie, the young girl whom Sir Whealtey had befriended. They all were soon sleeping where they fell. But alas, Sir Wheatley and the Lady Chell were nowhere to be found amidst the sleeping residents of Eaden. Then the Lady Peabody had an idea. If they could not bring the Queen two people, then perhaps the whole village would compensate for their failure. And thus it was that the Lady Peabody drew back the bow and fired the second arrow. She and the Lord Atlas carried the sleeping forms of all that were in Eaden one by one through the opening and into Castle Aperture.

Just as they were searching for the last of the town's folk, Garret the Blacksmith emerged from the tower only to find that all the people had vanished. He had not drunk the water from the well and he grew fearful at the sight of the empty festival grounds. Suddenly he saw Sir Atlas searching the empty lot and Garret leapt upon him. The two struggled until the Lady Peabody came up from behind and struck Garret on the head and he heard and saw no more. They carried him into the opening and continued with their devious task.


	15. The Third Trespass

**The Third Trespass**

After the sun had set and night fell, Sir Wheatley and the Lady Chell had fallen asleep in the wheat field on the edge of Eaden. They had talked long of the stars and the beautiful night sky, yet had finally rested in the cool night air.

Suddenly Wheatley was awakened by a cry from high above. At first he thought it was perhaps a dream, yet when he listened closer, he recognized the high clear voice of Foxglove. He woke the Lady Chell and soon they quickly made their way back to the outpost. They were surprised to find Foxglove running toward them, her long hair flowing and shining in the starlight. She bid them hurry, for Garret had gone missing and the people had also vanished.

Perhaps it was some foresight on her part, or maybe experience with the Queen's ways, but the Lady Chell bid Sir Wheatley rush to the cottage and retrieve fresh arrows and a bow. At once he was off, and as he ran, the Lady Chell and Foxglove made their way to the base of the tower. When they arrived, they saw the empty tables and chairs and feared the worst. The Lady Chell bid Foxglove retreat inside the tower to find safety, and the Ellet did as she was asked.

Upon further investigation, the Lady Chell discovered the opening, the very same opening that could only be made by the Bow. It opened into a dark chamber, and she knew that here was the Queen's doing. Suddenly she turned around and saw the Lord Atlas and the Lady Peabody returning to the opening, having taken all the people they could find. They saw her and fled to the opening in fear. The Lady Peabody, being swift of foot and having the longer legs, dove through the opening and disappeared inside. Sir Atlas was not as swift, and the Lady Chell lunged at him. He had the Bow in his hand, and the two struggled for possession of it. So angered and desperate was the Lady Chell that she picked up a nearby chair and struck the Lord Atlas in the arm. With a cry of pain, he let loose the bow and ran for the opening clutching his broken limb.

It was then that Sir Wheatley approached the scene, having with him the bow and arrows Chell had requested. He looked in horror at the fire-ringed opening before them. For a moment they stared at it and neither spoke. Then the Lady Chell swiftly hoisted her quiver onto her belt and, taking up the Bow, strode toward the opening. She vowed to protect the people of Eaden and free them from the Queen, though she did not know how.

As she approached the opening, she turned to bid Sir Wheatley come with her. Yet when she glanced behind to call for him, she saw him backing away, fear burning in his eyes. Sir Wheatley pleaded with her not to go in, yet Chell was determined to help her friends. Though honor and selflessness now filled her heart, she sensed that Sir Wheatley, though named the town hero and one that she had thought was worthy of her admiration, was still nothing but a coward. He had not changed since the day he nearly left her at the secret door, and tears filled her eyes as she realized that her blossoming fondness for him was misplaced. She gazed hard at him and bid him farewell, for this indeed was his third trespass, and she would not wait for him.

With a cry Wheatley reached out for her as she leapt through the opening, yet as soon as she was through, the Lady Chell, in bitterness and sorrow, fired another arrow within the Castle wall. And so the opening in the Village of Eaden was shut, and Sir Wheatley was left alone with nothing but his sorrow and regret.


	16. The Choice of Sir Wheatley

**The Choice of Sir Wheatley**

For long hours, in sorrow and in doubt, Sir Wheatley wept at the base of the tower. As the sun began to rise over Eaden, he thought of the days that he and the Lady Chell had spent together. He recalled how he had nearly won her heart as he had longed to do all those many years ago. She was such a brave maiden, hard as steel and with eyes aflame. He was not worthy to win the heart of one so just when he was a coward and had no honor in his heart. Fear. Yes, fear it was that kept him from following her. His fear of the Queen was oppressive to his soul. As he had beheld the opening, his only thought had been of the terrible death he would meet at Glados' hand.

Before all this, he had thought that his love for the Lady Chell was strong, but in the face of that grave danger, it paled in comparison to his fear. Yet now at the forefront of his mind was the look of sorrow that had been upon her face before she had bid him farewell. Alas, he had hurt her again, and he hated himself for it. Yet, even as the sun rose, a thought occurred to him. This thought was madness indeed, yet he at last felt that here was what he must do. His fear of the Queen leapt up in his mind again, but now in his heart he knew and resolved that, above all fears, he loved the Lady Chell. He would not fail her again.

Wheatley knocked on the tower door, and Foxglove opened it warily. He quickly relayed to her everything that had happened and told her of his folly at the opening and of his plan. The Ellet blanched at the very idea he mentioned, yet at last agreed, and the two ascended the tower in haste.

Foxglove stood in the center of the tower's height and cast her mind far and abroad until it reached the very depths of Castle Aperture. There in the hidden halls and chambers, she spoke to the Oracle. For the Oracle, though a child, knew secrets and knowledge that not even the Queen could fathom, and through their thought, the two Ellet formulated a strategy.

The Oracle crept down hallways and passages until she came to the ancient workshops of the learned men of the King. Down in this vast vault there was a great store of potions, elixirs, droughts, medicines and other arts of alchemy. Along side the workshop was the great reservoir of Aperture, a deep and wide stretch of water of depths beyond measure. In older days, the learned men of the King had drawn from its waters to combine the elements and create their devices for the trial.

It was here in this forgotten place, that the Queen had stowed the shards of the mirror. The Oracle carefully placed each piece together in the frame and, when its pieces were set in place, it glowed with unnatural radiance and was at once made whole again. The Oracle set the mirror against a wall and placed her hand upon the frame.

At the same time, Foxglove stepped down from the platform and did the same with the tall mirror in the tower, for it was in fact made of the very same material as the mirror that had entrapped Sir Wheatley. Through thought the two Ellet connected the two glass surfaces, and behold, to Wheatley's wonder, an opening formed betwixt them. For the bow could not make an opening upon the material by which it was made, yet through the minds of the Ellet, the two mirrors became as two openings made by the Bow.

Sir Wheately stepped up and drew his sword. He would enter Castle Aperture and rescue the Lady Chell, for at last he realized in the depths of his heart that he loved her more than life itself, and as this truth rested in his mind, his fear fled away. As he began to step through the opening, he met the eyes of Foxglove as she stood with her hand upon the mirror's frame. He stopped and wondered at her for she was weeping. He asked what distressed her so, and she answered him in verse and rhyme that he knew could only have been given to her by the Oracle. It was a verse that spoke of what was to come.

And thus did she speak:

 _Know this of cursed diadem_

 _the cure is in the heart_

 _at bay the darkness love does keep_

 _for he who loves in part_

* * *

 _Yet beware this circle black_

 _ye wearer through travail_

 _to undo it's darkened power_

 _the heart of he must fail._

* * *

 _Alas, my knight for if you must,_

 _cling tight to love and flame._

 _For once ye enter through this glass_

 _ye shall not come again._

Sir Wheatley was unsure of the meaning of her words, yet he had resolved in his heart that the task must be done. And thus did he step through and emerge into that darkened Castle from which all his fear had come. He made his way up out of the workshop, past the reservoir, and into the heart of Castle Aperture.


	17. The Battle

**The Battle**

After Sir Wheatley had stepped through the mirror, Foxglove and the Oracle spoke to one another across the vast distance. They spoke of their forgotten people and of the fate of the Crown, for the Oracle had foreseen that the destiny of the Ellet people was about to be decided and all who would be free should aid Sir Wheatley in any way they could. And so it was that the vast number of Ellet who had escaped the bondage of the King and had been living deep underground heard the song of Foxglove. She called them forth to war and they took up arms and emerged from underneath the Castle.

So it was that Sir Wheatley and the army of the Ellet advanced within Castle Aperture, subduing all servants of the Queen and making their way to the main throne room chamber. As the Ellet army passed through the Castle above, Sir Wheatley descended to the labyrinth and there he found the Lady Chell. The Queen had placed her in the trial of the Bow again and had left her there with no hope of it ever being completed. The Lady Chell looked up and saw him at the doorway of the chamber and she rejoiced at his return. He reached out and took her hand in his and led her away from the terrible trial of the Bow for the last time.

They hurried down to the dungeons, where the poor people of Eaden were kept prisoner. Sir Wheatley and the Lady Chell woke them from their enchanted sleep and set them free. They bid them take up arms against the Queen and fight for freedom. The people raided the Castle armory and all made ready to confront the forces of the Queen. Sir Wheatley put on armor once again, yet this time he did not wear the armor of one in training. He took up the arms of a true knight and bore a shield given to him by the Ellet warriors.

They made their way up to the throne room, where the Queen had taken refuge with those who were left of her servants. Both the Ellet and the people of Eaden entered therein, and by sheer number, they were a more formidable force than the Queen's servants.

Yet for all their number, Glados still wore the Crown, and in the battle that ensued within the vast halls of the Castle, she turned the tide in her favor. The Lady Chell fired arrows from the Bow at lightening speed, tripping her foes as they fell from adjacent openings. Garret too had taken up arms and he, the Lady Chell and Sir Wheatley stood together in the fray. Sir Wheatley wielded his blade mightily and fought back the advancing forces. But alas, none could match the awful power of the Queen. With the Crown's dark power, she destroyed wave upon wave of the Ellet people. Fire and death she rained down upon all who challenged her. It seemed to all that the battle was lost.

In the midst of the battle, Glados in rage and fury called out to the Lady Chell as she stood with her people in the fray. The Queen decreed that, whether by her power or by the hand of another, the Lady Chell would never be free from the trial of the Bow whilst the Crown existed and that Chell would surely die as a result of it's power. Glados' words rang in the ears of Sir Wheatley and at last he understood the meaning of Foxglove's words and what he must do.

Emboldened by his resolve, Sir Wheatley advanced upon the Queen. She cast her fiery projectiles at him and ever did he dodge her attack. The Lady Chell and Garret also advanced upon the Queen, and soon the three were gathered around her, holding back her terrible power, yet not advancing a single inch.

To the dismay of all, Chell and Garret were soon spent and fell at the Queen's feet. Yet before she could strike them, Sir Wheatley stepped up and challenged her. Glados laughed at him, for he could do nothing to hurt her, and she declared that it would be folly to try to take the Crown from her a second time. Sir Wheatley smiled, and agreed with the darkened Queen. Indeed it would be folly he concurred, yet folly favors the fool.

And with that, he reached out and ripped the Crown from the Queen's head. Glados was shocked, yet this time she did not cower. She lunged at him, yet halted at the point of his sword and could not advance. And so it seemed that the battle had been won, for the Queen was at bay. Yet this was not the end of Sir Wheatley's plan. The Battle still raged and the Castle gates were still fastened tight by the long laid spells of Glados.

Thus in the midst of the great confrontation did Sir Wheatley meet the eyes of the Lady Chell, and as he looked upon the woman he loved, he knew that he could never let the power of the Crown harm her or any other again. He lifted the diadem above his head and, with a last breath of freedom, placed it upon his own head. The Lady Chell cried out in dismay but it was too late. Sir Wheatley staggered back as the black circle of metal clawed into his mind. Yet it did not turn him as it had before, for his heart, being so full of love for the Lady Chell, kept it's dark influence from corrupting his mind.

Now the ruler of Castle Aperture once again, he raised his hand and commanded the soldiers of the Queen to lay down their arms. The battle was over. He raised another hand and the gates flew open, and the people of Eaden were freed at last.


	18. The Heart of the Exile

**The Heart of the Exile**

Many had fallen in battle, and the slain were carried from that place in honor. In the aftermath, the Lady Chell sought out Sir Wheatley but he was nowhere to be found. She searched for him, but he had gone away into the Castle and had not told any whither he went. To her surprise, the Oracle appeared and handed her the Queen's Crystal that Glados had used those many days ago to allow her to see Sir Wheatley in his captivity.

The Lady Chell gazed into the crystal and suddenly she saw him. Sir Wheatley was in the ancient workshop beneath Aperture, for he turned and saw the Lady Chell in the very reconstructed mirror that he had come through before the battle. She bid him come with her and leave the Castle forever, yet Wheatley declined. He told her of the Crown's power and how he could never be free of it unless another remove it from his head. He vowed that on this day the Crown would meet it's end and that the Ellet people and all the peoples of that land would at last be free. Yet, above all, he pledged his love to the Lady Chell, for she would never be hurt by it's power again nor ever be forced to take part in the trial of the Bow. The Lady Chell begged him to return, yet still he refused. Wheatley placed a hand upon the glass and looked upon his love one last time. And then did he strike the mirror, shattering it beyond repair.

Sir Wheatley strode to the edge of the vast reservoir and, with a tear in his eye, he plunged himself in. As he sank, he thought back to the quiet village of Eaden. He thought of the warm sun and the blue sky and of the smell of freshly baked bread. Of the people he had met and called friends. Of the lady archer who had shown him that life was worth nothing if spent in selfishness. Her love was worth more than anything.

And so the fool, the wayward knight, and the hero of Eaden breathed his last and his heart failed within his chest. Thus did the Crown meet it's end, for though the wearer was immortal, an act of self-sacrifice in love was too strong for it's blackened metal. And so the Crown faded into dust and was lost to that world forever.


	19. The Gift of Caroline

**The Gift of Caroline**

Yet one must wonder, in the midst of the aftermath of the Battle, what became of Queen Glados? Upon seeing her forces undone and her kingdom conquered, she fled into the depths of the Castle, fearful of the people she had threatened. She made her way down to that very same vault that Sir Wheatley had ventured to, and from her hiding place, she heard his last words to the Lady Chell. And behold, when he had cast himself into the water and the Crown was no more, the Queen was at last freed from any desire for the Crown and she was again Caroline the Fair.

Her heart melted within her and she dove into the depths to save the poor knight. But alas, when she had pulled him from the water and laid his limp form upon the floor of the chamber, he was dead.

When the Lady Chell had lost sight of Sir Wheatley in the crystal, she had begged the Oracle to guide her to the workshop where Sir Wheatley was. She now knew in her heart that she could not lose him again and that surely there must be another way to save him. Garret came with them, and the Oracle led them down to the ancient workshop.

When they had at last made their way down to the chamber, Chell beheld her fallen love lying dead and she wept. She took his head in her lap and kissed his forehead, and thus did she mourn. Yet Caroline, remembering with sudden hope the store of unknown cures and alchemy stored in that very chamber, assured the Lady Chell that all was not lost. Caroline soon emerged with a vial of a bright and brilliant elixir. It was a potion that the men of the King had developed as the King lay dying. Indeed, perhaps they would have had the opportunity to use it on King Cave, if their folly with the Crown had not doomed them. Thus did its purpose remain a mystery. As Queen Glados had wandered the halls and ancient places of Aperture in her years in the Castle, she had found it, yet it had been of no use to her.

As the Queen stooped to give it to Sir Wheatley, grey lines appeared on her face and hands. The Crown had prolonged her life and now, without the Crown, her life was ending. Garret stood by and looked warily at the Queen, not knowing if she could be trusted. Caroline assured them both that, though in darker days she would have kept the prized cure for herself, now without the Crown, she understood that this was what she must do.

Caroline poured the potion down the fallen knight's throat. The Lady Chell gasped as the color returned to his face. She placed her ear upon his chest and his beating heart was strong and alive. Suddenly he coughed, water spilling from his mouth as he struggled to breath. When he had caught his breath, Sir Wheatley looked up at the Lady Chell. He smiled, for her face was the first thing he had longed to see. And thus did the Lady Chell and Sir Wheatley share their first kiss in that great workshop of Aperture, for at last the servant girl and the knight in training had found each other again.

Queen Caroline drew away and wandered into the depths of the labyrinth. There, she found the portrait of the King that she had seen so long ago. Feeble and fading, she looked up at the image of King Cave, son of John the Great, and she forgave him for all the hurt he had caused her. And thus did Caroline meet her end, in peace at the foot of the portrait of her long lost love.


	20. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

So ends the tale of lovers true

though life carries on its way

underneath the clear blue sky above

they lived till ending day

* * *

Yet what are we to take from this

this tale of wish and woe?

Indeed for love has power still

greater than any Bow

* * *

For rulers who follow freedom's call

bear kingdoms joyful and bright

but selfish kings the beareth rule

bring on the mournful night.

* * *

Tis only natural for man to live

from sky to field of grain

Redemption's fire ner can be quenched

nor love be masked by pain

* * *

True love is stronger than any fear

more vast than any strife

for greater love has no man

who loves and give his life.

* * *

The soul of man longs for peace

yet never won by guile

the truest love indeed was shown

in the Heart of the Exile.


End file.
